Madison Cota is a junior Fashion Merchandising major and Event Management minor at Lasell College. Cota chose to major in fashion because she loves the way that the fashion industry is always changing.
“The industry is on the cusp of a transformation into a more socially conscious outlook, and I am excited to be a part of the movement,” said Cota. After graduating college, she aspires to work as a product manager or be involved in the branding force of an athletic wear company. As a student athlete at Lasell, Cota is one of the captains of the Women’s basketball team, and health and fitness are one of her biggest passions in life. She hopes to blend her love for fitness and love for fashion when finding the perfect career later in life.
Photo-Superior Pageant Productions
Along with being a student athlete, Cota is also involved in pageants. According to Cota, how she got started in pageants is a funny story.
“My sophomore year of high school, I received a flyer in the mail for the 2012 Miss Vermont Teen USA pageant and I threw it away,” said Cota. “My mother picked it out of the trash and convinced me that it would be a fun experience, thinking that we would do it one time and be done with it.”
Cota was currently crowned Miss Vermont USA 2017. She had decided to compete in the pageant because she felt strongly that she had much more to give back to her community. She wanted to spread awareness about organ donation, a platform that means a great deal to her. Cota’s uncle, whom she was very close with, passed away awaiting a transplant. Cota called the whole experience “very humbling,” and has gained the interview skills and the friendships that have made her a more confident and aware woman.
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If Cota could go back and tell her younger self something, it would be that it’s okay not to fit the mold. “I’ve always had interests that didn’t conventionally go together, like pageantry and powerlifting. It’s okay to be different,” she said.
Cota says she has struggled with feeling as though she doesn’t quite fit in with any mold, but has learned an important lesson.
“As girls of the 21st century, we are limitless in our ability to chase our dream, and we should not be afraid to pursue them wholeheartedly,” said Cota. She truly is an inspiration to young girls who feel they might not be perfect. A lot of young girls who do watch the Miss USA pageants often feel insecure or wonder if they will ever look like that.
“I would tell [the girls] that they are unique and stunning in their own right, but also they are someone with spirit and passion for their own special calling,” said Cota, when asked her opinion on the issue. “Each and every girl is beautiful in her own way, and the key is to be confident in your own unique qualities and capabilities. If you believe in yourself, everyone around you will too.”
Cota leads an eventful, busy life, and she does often feel stressed or overwhelmed with all of the honors she has received. However, Cota has seemed to find a way to stay strong when life gets tough.
“I wear many different hats on a day-to-day basis. Not only am I Miss Vermont USA, [but] I am a student, a captain, an athlete, a member of the Blue Key Society, and a social media manager for the Lasell College Admissions Department,” said Cota. “At times it can be hard to juggle so many obligations, but at the end of the day I have to remind myself that I set off on this journey to give back and to make a difference in my community. It isn’t always easy, but reminding myself that this journey is about more than just me serves as the best motivation to push past any obstacles.”
Cota really has found the way to balance her life and have the best of both worlds. She is a driven, goal-oriented young woman who is ready to inspire others to stand up for their passions as well.
Cota would also like to add that for those who would like to support her personal platform for organ donation, this April is National Donate Life Month. Cota encourages everyone to take some time to research what it really means to be an organ donor and that you can truly save a life. For the month of April, if you would like to register or learn more, Cota will be setting up a table outside of Valentine Dining Hall every Friday. Come stop by and check out what it means to be a donor!